While some costumers may find a perfect fit in one of the "default" pattern sizes, it is somewhat unlikely due to variations in height, weight, build, musculature, neck size, and general physique.
That's why we highly recommend making a muslin test or a "practice" garment of some kind (other than to familiarize yourself with its construction, that is!) - you can make the necessary sizing observations (e.g. waist needs to be loosened, neckline needs to be taken in a bit, etc.).
All this fitting does require extra time and effort on the part of the costumer, but the finished garment's custom-tailored look will definitely be worth it!
There are four main aspects of the garment that may need adjustment and the original pattern need be altered: the neckline, the chest, the waist, and the length of the garment
These revisions are not difficult to make, even to conform to "hero" uniform standards, provided one remembers the appropriate points at which the garment is to be aligned and/or coordinated.
The neckline, for instance, is simply adjusted in lateral increments of half quilt-lines ... that is, it is narrowed or widened (sideways) in increments of ⅜".
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NOTE: Both the Picard and Sisko versions of the vest extended 3 quilt lines from the mitered neckline pivot to the inside edge of the neckline trim at the shoulder seam.
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| DS9, 5x10 "Rapture" |
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| First Contact |
However, Sloan's neckline only extended by 2 ½ quilt lines from the same two points.
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| DS9, 6x18 "Inquisition" |
Although Sloan's vest was only seen in a single scene, as opposed to Picard's and Sisko's, and considering the varying widths of the front openings of the jackets and jumpsuits of the era, it stands to reason that the vest's neckline was laterally adjustable in increments of mid-quilt lines (⅜").
On our DS9/NEM men's "captain vest" pattern, the MEDIUM size neckline matches that of the Picard and Sisko vests, and the other sizes are graded accordingly in mid-quilt-line increments (⅜").
Since people's shoulders often slant quite differently - some people have very flat, squared shoulders, while others slope rather steeply - the slant of the shoulder seam may need to be adjusted to achieve an appropriately form-fitting vest (without it pulling or bunching on either side of the seam).
If your neckline needs to be lengthened or shortened in the other direction, it is a simple matter of adding or subtracting the appropriate length to the shoulder seam on each side.
For instance, if your neckline needs to be lengthened (as opposed to widened, sideways) by ¼", simply add ⅛" to the front yoke and the back yoke on the neckline side of the shoulder seam.
(Jacket yoke pictured below):
The opposite would be the case if you need it let out a bit at the shoulder.
The vest should wrap comfortably around the neck (ideally at the division shirt collar's seam line from the shoulder seam back):
Adjusting the chest is a fairly simple matter, too.
The chest sizes of the printed pattern are graded in increments of 3" - that is, one additional ¾" quilt line on each front yoke and one additional ¾" quilt line on each side of the back yoke.
Any chest alterations - between the "default" sizes on the printed pattern, that is - are easiest to make at the side seam under the arm, especially for the Sisko version. One can comfortably add or subtract about 2" to or from the chest there - that is, 1" on the left and 1" on the right, divided into an additional ½" on both the side front and side back pieces at the seam line.
For the Picard version, the same can be accomplished; however, the curvature of the armhole will need to be adjusted to achieve the fluid, continuous rounded shape at its bottom and the top of the side seam.
The waist is, likewise, an easy aspect of the garment to alter.
The waist sizes on the printed pattern are graded in increments of 3". This means that each pattern size may need up to 2 ½" or so added to or subtracted from the waistline.
The best place to take the waist in a bit is at the side front/side back seams (say, ¼" each or so). That would be ½" for each side, or 1" total.
Adding to the waist is a similar process and can be done anywhere, though the quickest and easiest place to add is, again, the side front/side back seam.
As is, the pieces are angled inward somewhat, but they can be adjusted as needed with relative ease.
Remember to adjust the facings and lining panels accordingly when modifying the pattern's waist.
An alternative would be to simply take in or let out the body panel seams as needed; for instance, if the waist were 1 ½" too tight, one might let it out ¼" at the bottom of each body panel seam except the center back - that is, reduce the seam allowance at the bottom from ⅜" to ¼" on six of the seven seams, totaling to 1 ½".
Again, though, remember to adjust the facing and lining assemblies accordingly.
Take a look at Hurley and Teal'c; though they might have similar chest measurements, their waistlines will be radically different:
The vest length is a bit more of an issue than the others.
The distance from the bottom of the front opening to the bottom of the vest at the front center seemed to be the same as on the jacket - that is, 16 ½" - presumably not only because that was an ideal fit, but also because conveniently lent itself to a 16" jacket zipper and ½" for a hook-and-eye closure.
From this, we can deduce that the IDEAL vest height (from the bottom of the front opening to the bottom of the vest at the front center) measured from the front center) was 16 ½".
On our pattern, we have drafted the vest so that the MEDIUM size is "screen accurate" in this regard. From there, the vest's center front height is graded in 1" increments; the SMALL is 15 ½", the MEDIUM is 16 ½", the LARGE is 17 ½", the XL is 18 ½", and the 2XL is 19 ½".
This was done for height purposes only! For instance, a shorter fellow with moobs and a beer gut might wear a 2XL, but the 19 ½" vest body height would be way too long. Likewise, a taller, toothpick-size gentleman might wear a small, but the jacket would likely be too short.
We have graded the vest height for your sizing convenience, but 16 ½" is, arguably, the ideal!
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